ITTO20130344A1 - PERFECTING TO A TRANSVERSAL CUTTING EQUIPMENT FOR SEPARABLE SHEETS FROM CONTINUOUS OVERLAPPED MODULES - Google Patents

Description

"IMPROVEMENTS TO A CROSS CUTTING EQUIPMENT FOR

SHEETS SEPARABLE FROM OVERLAPPING CONTINUOUS MODULES "

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to improvements to a transversal cutting apparatus for separable sheets from overlapping continuous forms.

More specifically, the invention relates to improvements to a transversal cutting apparatus for sheets separable from superimposed continuous forms and in which the forms have been longitudinally separated from a base form, according to the introductory parts of the main claims.

Equipment of this type, commercially known as double cutters, are used in systems for the automatic processing of documents previously printed on continuous forms.

Double cutters can operate "on-line", downstream of dividing equipment, known as "mergers" which divide the basic modules in a longitudinal direction.

The double cutters of the known type advance the modules simultaneously or alternately and separate, by means of a single blade, the single or overlapping printed sheets for the formation of the documents and for the subsequent treatments. For reasons of cost and operational flexibility, cutting devices with alternative type of handling are used, for example with guillotine blades, and which therefore provide for the stop of the module at the moment of cutting.

The operating speed of the cutters on the market is conditioned by the speed of the cutting device and by the stresses to which the incoming modules are subjected. Particularly good results were obtained with the cutting equipment described in the Italian Patent No. 1,360,399, in the name of the Requesting Company Tecnau S.r.l. This equipment provides additional loops upstream of the cutting device and uniform speeds of the modules at the entrance. This made it possible to reach the limit determined by the cutting device for the separation of overlapping sheets. However, the overall productivity is lower than theoretical, when one of the modules has to stop for the production of documents with an odd number of sheets or for the particular arrangement of the documents in the undivided module. The differentiated motion of the modules, after the longitudinal separation by the "merger", also makes it more difficult to standardize the speed of the modules at the entrance to the equipment.

In the Italian Patent No. 1,397,442, also in the name of the Applicant Tecnau S.r.l, a transversal cutting equipment for overlapping modules has been described, comprising a cutting device that can be activated for the simultaneous separation of the sheets from the modules and a singularization of overlapping sheets to solve problems involving documents with an odd number of sheets. In an exemplary embodiment, this separating device comprises a mechanism for separating the overlapping modules, having suction rollers downstream of the cutting device, two overlapping transport ways downstream of the suction rollers and an accumulation and sending device. The cutting device operates continuously on the overlapping modules, while the transport ways can drag the sheets at different speeds. This allows a cut sheet of a subsequent document, different from the document being formed, to be transferred to the accumulation and sending device for the formation of the next document, substantially after the previous document has been sent. The apparatuses made in accordance with this patent are fast, even in the case of documents having a small and odd number of sheets, but rather expensive.

An object of the present invention is to realize an intermittent motion transversal cutting apparatus for superimposed continuous modules, of high reliability and speed, which always operates on superimposed modules and which is of relatively low cost.

In accordance with this object, the transversal cutting equipment comprises a device for separating the overlapping sheets which includes a diverter upstream of the transport routes and with insertion devices for the modules, which can be implemented to temporarily override a leading edge of one of the overlapping modules with respect to the other module up to a switching area of the diverter, or to advance the overlapping sheets together. The diverter can be configured to address a module or both modules to one or both transport routes, while the introduction devices can be activated, in the event of over-advancement of one of the modules, to align the trailing edges of one and of the other module for a joint cutting of the overlapping modules by the cutting device.

The characteristics of the invention will become clear from the following description, given by way of example but not of limitation, with the aid of the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a cutting apparatus for overlapping modules of a known type ;

Fig. 2 is a basic continuous form scheme for forming documents; Fig. 3 represents a diagram of a cutting apparatus for sheets separable from overlapping modules, according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3a is a diagram, on an enlarged scale, of some components of the equipment of Fig.3;

Fig. 4 shows a diagram, on a further enlarged scale, of details of the apparatus of Fig.3a;

Fig. 4a is a representative diagram of different operating conditions of some elements of Fig. 4;

Fig. 5 represents a schematic perspective view of some components of the apparatus of Fig.3;

Figs. 6a-6f show different operating states of the details of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a schematic speed / time diagram of continuous forms, in use with the equipment of the invention;

Figs. 8a and 8b, â € œaâ € -â € œeâ € and â € œgâ € -â € iâ € are speed / time diagrams of some sheets of the module of Fig. 2 treated by the apparatus according to the invention, while â € œfâ € and â € œlâ € are space / time diagrams of a component of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 shows a variant of the apparatus of the invention; And

Fig. 10 represents another variant of the apparatus of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a cutting apparatus 21 with a double cutter 22 for overlapping continuous forms 23H and 23L. The modules 23H and 23L are derived, by longitudinal cutting, from a paper tape or continuous module base 24 (see Fig. 2), with feed along a â € œFâ € direction. The cutting equipment 21 is specifically of the type described in the aforementioned Italian Patent No. 1,360,399, the content of which is an integral part of this description.

In summary, the cutter 22 includes infeed devices 26H and 26L, loop forming devices 27H and 27L, insertion devices 28H and 28L, a guillotine cutting device 29 and an extraction device and trim 31.

The apparatus 21 provides in particular a device for separating the overlapping sheets which comprises a separation mechanism 32 of the overlapping modules 23H and 23L, downstream of the cutting device 29, transport ways 33H and 33L at different heights, an accumulation device and sending or output buffer 34 and differentiating means 36 for modifying the travel times of the sheets separated from the modules along the transport routes 33H and 33L. The cut is performed in superimposed modules and the separation mechanism 32 includes suction rollers 37 to separate and space the sheets after cutting and direct them towards the transport ways 33H and 33L. An electronic unit 38 controls the kinematic components of the apparatus 21 and, in particular, the relative device for separating the superimposed sheets.

The cutting apparatus 21 is part of a system which receives sheets printed on continuous forms 24, which, after separation, constitute the pages of the various documents. In accordance with current standards, the sheet or sheets belonging to a given document and the various documents are printed on the base module 24 on side by side columns and in a predetermined regressive (See Fig. 2) or progressive order.

The cutting device 29 always operates on the superimposed modules 23H and 23L, while the apparatus 21 deals with the loss of parity of the superimposed modules, modifying the travel times of the sheets along the transport routes 33H and 33L. In particular, the differentiation means 36 can be activated to stop or slow down a cut sheet of a subsequent document, different from the current document in formation, while the sheet of the current document is transferred to the output buffer 34, completing the formation of the document.

Fig. 3 shows a transversal cutting apparatus 41 for separable sheets from continuous forms 23H, 23L, in accordance with the invention, comprising a double cutter 42, similar to the double cutter 22 of the apparatus of Fig. 1 and which includes, keeping the same numbering, the input feeding devices 26H and 26L, the loop forming devices 27H and 27L, the introducing devices 28H and 28L, and the cutting device 29.

The apparatus 41 specifically comprises an extraction and trimming device 44 for extracting and trimming the sheets from the cutting device 29, a separating device 46 for the overlapping sheets and an output accumulation and sending device or output buffer 47 for a document. An electronic unit 48 controls the introduction devices 28H and 28L, the cutting device 29, the extraction and trimming device 44, the singling device 46 and the output buffer 47.

The introducing devices 28H and 28L are designed to introduce the modules 23H and 23L into the cutting device 29 in a high-low overlap condition and comprise respective feed rollers 51 and 52 (Fig. 4) and pressure rollers, of socket for the modules and drive motors 53 and 54. Upon control of the electronic unit 48, the motors 53 and 54 actuate the rollers 51 and 52 for a positive feed of the modules 23H and 23L towards and through the cutting device 29.

The cutting device 29 includes guides for the overlapping modules 23H and 23L, a guillotine blade 56 and a counter blade 57 which define a transversal cutting plane for the modules. A motor 58, controlled by the electronic unit 48, drives the blade 56 by means of an eccentric mechanism not shown.

The extraction and trimming device 44 is actuated by a motor 59 and is designed to extract by friction, with the possibility of sliding, the overlapping modules 23H and 23L emerging from the cutting device 29 independently of each other. other. For this purpose, for the extraction of the modules 23H, the device comprises upper traction rollers 61a and 61b (Fig. 5) and lower pressure rollers 62a and 62b. For modules 23L, device 44 comprises lower pinch rollers 63a and 63b and upper pinch rollers 64a and 64b. The traction rollers 61a and 61b and, 63a and 63b are keyed on respective shafts 65 and 66 and motorization of shaft 66 by motor 59. In turn, shaft 65 is driven by the shaft 66, in synchronism condition, through a pair of gears 67, while the pressure rollers 62a and 62b and 64a and 64b are mounted, in an idle way, on respective bridges pushed by springs against the traction rollers.

Conveniently, the extraction and trimming device 44 comprises a frame 68, of rotating support for the shafts 65 and 66, and two trimming units 69 and 71. The groups 69 and 71 are, for example, with rotating blades driven by the shafts 65 and 66 and provide for the lateral trimming of modules 23H and 23L. Guides 72 are also provided for the output modules and which define a geometric reference plane 74, substantially horizontal, passing through the guides of the cutting device 29.

In particular, the traction rollers 63a and 63b and the pressure rollers 64a and 64b are adapted to engage the modules on the plane 74, transversely to the direction of advance of the modules, in an offset manner with respect to the traction rollers 61a and 61b and the respective rollers. of pressure 62a and 62b. The peripheral speed of the pinch rollers is greater than the maximum feed speed of the 28H and 28L feeding devices to ensure jam-free sheet extraction according to a known technique.

In accordance with the invention, the singling device 46 (Fig. 3) comprises transport routes 81 and 82, arranged respectively above and below the reference plane 74 and having differentiable travel times and a diverter 83 to upstream of the transport ways 81 and 82. Specifically, the diverter 83 is interposed between the extraction and trimming device 44 and the transport ways 81 and 82 and can be configured to address a module or both modules 23H and 23L from the device cutting 29, through the extraction and trimming device 44, to one or both of the transport routes 81 and 82.

The electronic unit 48 controls the introduction devices 28H and 28L to temporarily make a leading edge of one of the modules 23H and 23L override the other module below or above, at the exit from the device. extraction and trimming 44, up to a switching area of the diverter 83. The introduction devices 28H and 28L can also be activated to act on the two modules in order to align the trailing edges of one and the other module 23H and 23L, after the overfeeding of one of the modules, for a joint cutting of the overlapping modules by the cutting device 29.

The diverter 83 (Fig.4a) can be configured in three different configurations: in a first configuration â € œC1â €, it connects the output of the cutting device 29 with one of the two transport routes 81 and 82, in a second configuration â € œC2â € connects the output of the cutting device 29 with the other transport way and, in a reference configuration "RC", allows the separate movement of the two modules 23H and 23L along the two transport ways 81 and 82.

In detail, the diverter 83 (Fig. 4) comprises an exchange wedge 86 extending transversely for the entire width of the modules 23H and 23L, with the front edge facing the guides 72 of the extraction and trimming device 44 and sides, upper and lower , guide for the modules, respectively inclined upwards and downwards. The wedge 86 is susceptible of rotation, with the configuration change, by means of a transverse shaft 89, between a central rest position for the reference configuration â € œRCâ € (Fig. 4a) and two inclined positions, respectively downwards (Fig. 6b) and upwards, (Fig. 6a), relative to the rest position, for the first configuration â € œC1â € and for the second configuration â € œC2â € of the diverter 83.

The diverter 83 is actuated by a motor 89 (Figs. 2 and 4), for example a high speed stepping motor, with positions controlled by the electronic unit 48. The transmission of the motion for the rotation of the wedge 86 is carried out in any known way, for example by means of a belt-pulley coupling.

In the central position of the reference configuration â € œRCâ €, the exchange wedge 86 (Fig. 4a) has the front edge lying on the reference plane 74 and defines with the guide sides the access routes to the two transport routes 81 and 82. In the â € œC1â € configuration, the upper guide side defines the access to the upper transport route 81 while, in the inclined position of the â € œC2â € configuration, the lower guide side defines the access to the bottom transport 82.

Conveniently, the cutting equipment 41 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) includes, upstream and downstream of the transport routes 81 and 82, an inlet section with drive belts 91 and 92 and an output section with output drive belts 93 and 94, respectively upper and lower. The input drive belts 91 and 92 have converging accesses towards the extraction and trimming device 44 and handle the sheets separated from the modules 23H, 23L and emerging from the extraction and trimming device towards the transport routes 81 and 82 In turn, the output drive belts 93 and 94 have outputs converging towards the output buffer 47 and provide for the movement of sheets or documents from the transport routes 81 and 82 to the output buffer 47.

The extension of the infeed drive belts 91 and 92 and outfeed 93 and 94 (Fig. 3a) is suitably greater than the length of the longest sheets separable from modules 23H and 23L, for independent dragging of the cut sheets by the kinematic mechanisms that make up the transport routes 81 and 82 and the input and output sections of the device 46.

With reference to the direction of advancement of modules 23H and 23L, the input drive belts 91 and 92 are inclined upwards and, respectively, downwards, while the output drive belts 93 and 94 are inclined in turn downwards and, respectively, upwards.

Inlet drive belts 91 and 92 each include overlying belts and underlying belts facing each other to frictionally collaborate with modules 23H and 23L emerging from cutter 49 before or after transverse separation. In particular, the overlying belts of the upper driving belts 91 and the underlying belts of the lower driving belts 92 protrude with respect to the other belts of the pairs. This is to facilitate the smooth engagement of the modules 23H and 23L with the drive belts towards the transport routes 81 and 82, in the inclined positions of the exchange wedge 86. A motor 96 provides for the motorization of the belts 91 and 92 in synchronism condition, by means of transmission elements not shown, with a dragging speed for the modules and for the cut sheets slightly higher than that of the extraction and trimming device 44.

The output drive belts 93 and 94 face guiding surfaces 101 and 102 and rollers to collaborate in friction with the modules 23H and 23L emerging from the transport routes 81 and 82. In detail, the guiding surfaces 101 and 102 form a dihedral with edge adjacent to the inlet of the device for accumulating and sending the outlet 47. A motor 103 powers the belts 93 and 94 in synchronism, by means of transmission elements not shown, with dragging speed for the sheets of slightly higher than the exit from the transport routes.

In use, a reference transport route of transport routes 81 and 82, after switching the diverter 83 in the first configuration â € œC1â € or in the second configuration â € œC2â € is able to receive the first odd sheet, or the first pair of even sheets of a reference document, up to the last single sheet or the last pair of sheets originally placed side by side in the basic module 24.

For a document that ends with a single sheet, after passing the switching zone by the leading edge of this sheet, the diverter 83 is switched to the second configuration or, respectively, to the first configuration, with limited deflection of the first sheet, for the access of the other sheet to the other way of transport. After passing the switching zone by the leading edge of the other sheet, the diverter is switched to the reference configuration to minimize switching times and reduce friction on the exchange wedge. The advancement of the two sheets continues until the trailing edges are aligned with the cutting plane of the device 29. The simultaneous cutting of the two sheets follows and their extraction by the extraction and trimming device 44.

The procedure is the same also for the document that ends with the pair of sheets, placed side by side in the base module 24 of Fig. 2 and then superimposed in the cutting device 29. In this case, the diverter 83 is however switched to the reference configuration â € œRCâ € immediately after the two overlapping sheets have passed the switching area.

Both for the document ending with the single sheet and for a document ending with the two sheets originally side by side, the diverter 83 can be switched to another configuration such as to allow the other transport route to receive the first single sheet, or the first pair of side-by-side sheets of a subsequent document, while a transport route sends the format reference document to the output sending device 47 for subsequent processing.

In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention of Fig. 3, the transport routes 81 and 82 include a respective accumulation and sending device or intermediate buffer 111 and 112 to collect a sheet or more sheets of a document in formation and send the document to the output buffer 47.

The accumulating and sending devices or buffers 47, 111 and 112 are similar to the accumulating and sending devices 34 of Fig. 1 and, as regards the stacking of the sheets, each comprise upper and lower dragging belts, controlled by a respective motor 113, 114 and 116 (Fig. 3a), and a climbing ramp 117. For sending documents, each buffer 47, 111 and 112 comprises a pair of rollers 118 driven by a respective motor 121, 122 and 123, and in which the rollers 118 have the possibility of longitudinal adjustment according to the length of the sheets to be stacked. The rollers 118 are provided to stop the sheets being stacked, in the condition in which the motors 121, 122 and 123 are stopped, and to send the formed documents towards subsequent treatments with the actuation of the same motors.

Suitable detectors, for example photoelectric ones, not shown in the drawings, detect the correct transit of the sheets between the various sections of the separating device 46, signaling any jam conditions. Also for the output buffer 47, the electronic unit 48 drives the motor 113 so as to impose a speed of the driving belts greater than that of the output from the driving belts 93 and 94. The increasing driving speeds from the driving section The input, intermediate buffers 111 and 112, the output section and the output buffer 47 have high values, but within limited safety limits.

By means of the structure described above, the cutting apparatus 41 can operate, without interruptions, by making cuts on the two superimposed modules, substantially at the maximum speed of actuation of the cutting device 29, ensuring reliable and jam-free operation.

Similarly to the accumulation and sending device 34 of the equipment 21 of Fig. 1, the accumulating and sending devices or buffers 47, 111 and 112 are suitably configurable to stack the sheets from top to bottom or from bottom to top and to send the format document for subsequent treatments. The arrangement of the sheets in the basic module is such that, after separation and transfer to the storage and sending device, the order of the pages is generally the natural one, with the first page uppermost in the stack that constitutes the document. . For stacking of the sheets from top to bottom, the arrangement of the sheets in the basic module 24 follows a regressive order with respect to the direction of advance â € œFâ €. Conversely, by stacking from bottom to top, the arrangement of the sheets follows a progressive order.

The operation of the apparatus 41 is described here by way of example, with reference to the modules 23H and 23L derived from the continuous base module 24 of Fig.2 and introduced into the cutting device 29 (Fig 3) in a high-low overlap condition. The sheets were printed side by side and in a regressive order for the formation of documents: â € œAâ € (sheets 3A-1A), â € œBâ € (sheets 3B-1B), â € œCâ € (sheets 4C-1C), â € œDâ € (sheets 3D-1D) and â € œEâ € (sheets 3E-1E), and resulting in sequential cuts Ct1-Ct8.

With reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 6a, for the formation of the document â € œAâ € (See also Fig. 8a, â € œaâ € and â € œbâ €), the electronic unit 48 activates the diverter 83 for the second configuration â € œC2â € and the introduction devices 28H and 28L for the joint advancement of the modules 23H and 23L, with extraction by the device 44. The exchange wedge 86 (See also Fig.8a, â € œfâ €) assumes the inclined position at the top while the leading edges of the modules 23H and 23L are deviated from the lower side of the wedge 86 and are dragged by the lower drive belts 92. The electronic unit 48 now activates the diverter 83 for the reference configuration central â € œRCâ € and continues with the advancement of modules 23H and 23L up to the length of sheets 3A and 2A. Now, the unit 48 stops the insertion devices 28H and 28L and activates the cutting device 29 to perform the cut â € œCt1â € (Fig. 6b) with transversal separation of the sheets. The sheets 3A and 2A, maintaining their overlapping condition, leave the belts 92 and are deposited in the buffer 112, stopped by the rollers 118.

In sequence, the electronic unit 48 activates the diverter 83 for the first configuration â € œC1â € and the introduction device 28H for an overrun of the module 23H (Figs. 6c and 7), sheet 3B (See also Fig. 8a, â € œbâ € and â € œfâ €), with extraction by the upper traction rollers 61a and 61b of the device 44. The exchange wedge 86 assumes the lower inclined position, while the leading edge of the module 23H is deflected from the upper flank of the wedge 86 and is driven by the upper drive belts 91.

When module 23H exceeds the switching zone of diverter 83, electronic unit 48 activates diverter 83 for the second configuration â € œC2â € (Fig. 6d) and activates the introduction device 28L for advancement also of form 23L, sheet 1A. The exchange wedge 86 assumes the inclined position at the top (See also Fig. 8a, â € œfâ €) while the leading edge of the module 23L is deviated from the lower side of the wedge 86 and engages dragged with the belts 92. The edge of the wedge 86 also gives rise to a slight deformation of the module 23H, without substantial disturbances to its movement. Unit 48 activates diverter 83 for the central reference configuration â € œRCâ € (Fig. 6e) and continues with the advancement of modules 23H and 23L, extracted jointly from device 44 and engagement with belts 91 and 92 .

The advancement of the module 23H proceeds to a stop when the length of the sheet 3B is reached, while the advancement of the module 23H stops when the length of the sheet 1A is reached. The unit 48 then activates the cutting device 29 for the â € œCt2â € cut (Fig. 6f). The sheets 3B and 1A leave the belts 91 and 92 and are deposited in the buffer 111 and, respectively, in the buffer 112, above the sheets 3A and 2A stopped by the rollers 118. Upon completion of the document â € œAâ € in the buffer 112, the Unit 48 activates motor 123 for forwarding towards belts 94 and, in sequence, activates motor 118 of output buffer 47 for subsequent treatments.

Proceeding with the formation of the document â € œBâ €, the unit 48 activates the diverter 83 for the â € œC1â € configuration, the introduction devices 28H and 28L for the joint advancement of the modules 23H and 23L and the subsequent activation of the switch 83 for the â € œRCâ € configuration. The modules 23H and 23L are dragged by the belts 91 up to the length of the sheets 2B and 1B (See also Fig.8a, â € œcâ € and â € œfâ €); the 48 unit then stops the 28H and 28L feeding devices and activates the cutting device 29 for the â € œCt3â € cut. The sheets 2B and 1B, in overlapping condition, leave the belts 91 and are deposited in the upper buffer 111 on the sheet 3B, stopped by the rollers 118, completing the document â € œBâ €. The unit 48 then activates the motor 122 for the forwarding of the document â € œBâ € towards the belts 94 and the motor 121 of the output buffer 47 for the subsequent treatments.

In the subsequent cycles for the document â € œCâ € (Fig.8a, â € œdâ €, â € œeâ € and â € œfâ €), sheets 4C and 3C before and sheets 2C and 1C after, cuts â € œCt4 and â € œCt5â € are accumulated in the lower buffer 112 and transferred to the output buffer 47, in a similar way to what is described with reference to the document â € œAâ €.

For the document â € œDâ € (Fig.8b, â € œgâ € and â € œlâ €), with diverter in â € œC1â € configuration, the 2D and 3D sheets are engaged for dragging by the upper belts 91. After cutting â € œCt6â €, the two sheets pass through the upper buffer 111 and are accumulated, in the waiting condition, in the output buffer 47.

In the following progress, I cut â € œC7â €, sheet 3E (Fig. 8b, â € œhâ € and â € œlâ €) of the document â € œEâ € stops in the upper buffer 111, already emptied of the 2D and 3D sheets , while the sheet 1D passes through the lower buffer 112 and overlaps the 2D and 3D sheets in the output buffer 47, completing the document â € œDâ € and subsequent sending.

Forms 23H and 23L advance together for sheets 1E and 2E of the document â € œEâ €, cut â € œCt8â € (Fig.8b, â € œiâ € and â € œlâ €): the two sheets are then accumulated in the upper buffer 111 and transferred to the output buffer 47, in the same way as described with reference to the document â € œBâ €.

The operation of the apparatus 41 for the formation of documents other than those described will be completely analogous to that previously described and illustrated, with the obvious modifications of the case.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the embodiments and details of construction may be varied widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

By way of example, Fig. 9 shows a cutting apparatus 131 according to the invention, similar to the cutting apparatus 41, comprising a singling device 132 with the diverter 82, but without the buffer output and with an electronic control unit 133 which manages the overlapping-side-by-side conditions of the sheets by means of algorithms which take into account the compositions of the previous document and / or of the document following the current one. In the control of the cutting device 29, the electronic control unit 133 can also respond to the actual conditions of emptying the buffers as regards the accumulation of the sheets in the upper buffer 111 or in the lower buffer 112.

Fig. 10 shows a cutting apparatus 141 in accordance with the invention, also similar to the apparatus 41 as regards the presence and functions of the diverter 82, but with a singularization 142 in which the transport paths, here indicated with 144 and 146, are devoid of the respective intermediate buffers. The travel times of the respective driving belts 147 and 148 are differentiated here as in the aforementioned patent IT 1,397,442 of the Applicant.

In the equipment 141, the conveyor ways 144 and 146 are able to transfer the modules 23H and 23L separately, or together in the overlapping condition along the way 144 or along the 146. Conveniently, the length of the belts 147 and 148 It is greater than that of the belts 111 and 112 of the apparatus 41 of Fig. 3 to achieve differences in travel times compatible with the operating cycles of the cutting device 29 and with the speed of dragging the sheets within acceptable safety limits for transfers without jams or breaks.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Improvements to a transversal cutting apparatus (41, 131, 141) for separable sheets from overlapping continuous forms (23H, 23L) comprising a cutting device (29) for joint transversal separation of the sheets, devices of introduction (28H and 28L) to introduce the modules (23H, 23L) into the cutting device and a device for separating the overlapping sheets (46), including two transport routes (81 and 82), one above the other, with differentiable travel times, said equipment (41) being characterized by what the separating device comprises a diverter (83) upstream of the transport routes (81 and 82) and in which the introduction devices (28H and 28L) can be activated to temporarily override an entrance edge of one of the overlapping modules (23H, 23L) with respect to the other module up to a switching zone of the diverter (83) o to advance the stacked modules together (23H, 23L); the diverter (83) can be configured to address one module or both modules (23H, 23L) to one or both transport routes (81 and 82); And the introduction devices (28H and 28L) are also feasible, in the event of overfeeding of one of the modules, to align the trailing edges of one and the other module for a joint cut of the overlapping modules (23H, 23L) by means of the cutting device (29). 2. Cutting equipment (41, 131, 141) in accordance with claim 1 characterized by that the diverter (83) is configurable in one of three configurations (â € œC1â €, â € œC2â € and â € œRCâ € ) and in which, in a first configuration (â € œC1â €), it connects the cutting device (29) with one of the transport routes (81), in a second configuration (â € œC2â €) it connects the cutting device ( 29) with the other transport route (82) and, in a reference configuration (â € œRCâ €), allows the transport of the two separate modules (23H and 23L) towards both transport routes (81 and 82) . 3. Cutting apparatus (41, 131, 141) according to claim 2, with modules emerging substantially horizontally from the cutting device, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises upper and lower input drive belts (91 and 92) between the cutting device and the transport ways (81 and 82) and in which the diverter (83) comprises an exchange wedge (86) which is provided to rotate, with a configuration change, between a position central rest, in the reference configuration (â € œRCâ €) of the diverter, and two inclined positions on opposite sides with respect to the rest position and in which the exchange wedge, in one of the two inclined positions (â € œC1â €) defines an access route to the upper drive belts (91), in the other inclined position (â € œC2â €) defines an access route to the lower drive belts (92) and, in the central rest position (â € œRCâ € ), allows the dragging of the modules (23H and 23L) by both the upper and lower input drive belts. 4. Cutting equipment (41, 131, 141) according to claim 3 characterized in that the exchange wedge (86) is, for example, actuated by a controlled motor (89), in which the Upper and lower inlets (91 and 92) have inlets facing the cutting device (29) and include each overlying belts and underlying belts facing each other to frictionally collaborate with sheets cut from the modules (23H and 23L), and in which the overlying belts of the upper drive belts (91) and the underlying belts of the lower drive belts (92) protrude with respect to the other belts to facilitate the engagement of the sheets with the belts in the inclined positions of the exchange wedge. 5. Cutting apparatus (41, 131) in accordance with one of the preceding claims characterized in that the transport ways (81 and 82) each include a respective accumulation and sending device or intermediate buffer (111 and 112) for receiving a sheet, or receive and stack several sheets of a document in formation and forward the stacked sheet or sheets. Cutting apparatus (41) according to claim 5 comprising an accumulating and sending device or output buffer (47) for the stacked sheet or sheets accumulated by each of the intermediate accumulating and sending devices (111 and 112), in which said accumulation and output sending device (47) is provided to directly send complete documents received from the intermediate accumulation and sending devices (111 and 112) for subsequent operations, and to retain incomplete documents awaiting a last sheet from intermediate storage and sending devices (111 and 112) and in which said last sheet passes directly through one of the intermediate storage and sending devices (111 and 112) and is transferable to said output storage and sending device (47) to complete the document according to sending for subsequent operations. 7. Cutting apparatus (41, 141) according to one of claims 1 to 4, for documents (24) with sheets printed according to a predetermined progressive or regressive order, comprising an accumulation and sending device or output buffer (47 ) and in which the transport routes (81 or 147 and 82 or 148) define a slow route (81 or 147) for a slow or stopping transport of sheets belonging to a document subsequent to a document in formation and a fast route (82 or 148) for sheets of the document being formed, said equipment being characterized by the fact that the transport routes (81 or 147 and 82 or 148) are designed to carry overlapping modules belonging, in pairs side by side, to the document being formed . 8. Cutting apparatus (41, 141) according to claim 6 or 7, for continuous forms (23H, 23L) separated by slitting from a basic continuous form (24) and for forming documents with printed sheets in a regressive order or progressive, said equipment being characterized by that which uses an output storage and sending device (47) and intermediate storage and sending devices (111 and 112) or a single output storage and sending device (47) of the type with stacking of the sheets from the top or from the bottom in accordance with the regressive or progressive print order on the basic module. 9. Cutting apparatus (41, 131, 141) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an extraction device (44) for extracting the sheets from the cutting device (29), said apparatus being characterized in that the extraction (44) is designed to operate on both modules (23H and 23L) in order to extract a single module (23H or 23L) with sliding with respect to the other module (23L or 23H) or to extract, without reciprocal sliding , the overlapping modules (23H and 23L). 10. Method of transversal cutting for separable sheets from overlapping continuous forms (23H, 23L) using a cutting apparatus (41, 131, 141) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the forms are separated longitudinally by a form continuous base (24) to form documents with a single sheet or with several stacked sheets, and in which the sheets are printed on side-by-side columns of the base module according to a predetermined regressive or progressive order, the aforementioned method being characterized by what said apparatus comprises an accumulation and sending device or output buffer (47) for the sheets leaving the transport routes and provides for the following steps: a) configure the diverter (83) so that a reference transport path (81, 82) of the transport paths is able to receive a first pair of sheets (2A, 3A) or a first odd sheet (3B), a reference document (â € œAâ €, â € œBâ €); b) proceed with the formation of the reference document (â € œAâ €, â € œBâ €) up to a last single sheet (1A) or to a last pair of sheets (2B, 3B); c) switch the diverter (83) to another configuration such as to allow the other transport way (82, 81) to receive respectively a first single sheet, or, superimposed, the first pair of sheets side by side ( 3C, 4C) of a subsequent document (â € œCâ €), after a last single sheet or a last pair of sheets (2B, 3B) of the reference document (â € œAâ €, â € œBâ €) has exceeded the switching zone of the diverter; d) activate a transport route (81, 82) to send a format reference document (â € œAâ €, â € œBâ €) to the storage and forwarding device or output buffer (47) for subsequent operations; And e) form the next document (â € œCâ €) up to the stacking of the last single sheet or to the last pair (3C, 4C) of the next document.